


under the tree at the top of the hill

by i_was_human



Series: lit fic week 2020 [3]
Category: Lost in Translation (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fae & Fairies, Fluff, M/M, Memory Loss, Naiads, Nymphs & Dryads, dongmin and juntae as background ships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25860904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_was_human/pseuds/i_was_human
Summary: For his whole life, Jaewon was warned to beware the faeries - the faeries that trick humans, that eat children, that bring harm to any they meet.And yet, when he meets a dryad, the dryad isn't very into that kind of thing.Or: Human Jaewon meets dryad Daehyun, and somewhere under the trees, they fall in love.
Relationships: Ahn Jaewon | Wyld/Kim Daehyun
Series: lit fic week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1882828
Comments: 5
Kudos: 21





	under the tree at the top of the hill

The first time Jaewon meets Daehyun, he's picking flowers.

It's for his village's May Day festival, and all the children are picking flowers to make garlands. They've been warned - _don't go into the forest, lest the faeries eat you up and the naiads drag you to a watery grave_ \- so Jaewon stays near the edge, picking only the flowers he's sure the faeries won't miss.

It's a bright spring day, the wind tugging at his dark hair, and he's so engrossed in his task that he almost misses the boy lingering at the tree-line.

Almost.

When he raises his head, basket around his wrist, the boy's staring at him. 

Messy blond hair - a color Jaewon's never seen before - and deep emerald eyes, a crown of sticks that seems far too big for him perched on his head. He's clad in shimmering gossamer - a stark contrast to Jaewon's beaten-up tunic - and his bare feet are covered in dirt and mud.

He stares at Jaewon with wide eyes, lips slightly parted, and Jaewon raises his hand to wave at him, lips curling into a smile.

The boy flinches, eyes going wide, and he races behind a tree, peeking out from behind it as though it'll protect him from- something?

He must be one of the faeries, Jaewon realizes - someone _dangerous_.

But _oh_ , Jaewon doesn't have many friends, and he's _so very lonely_.

"Hi," he whispers, and the boy flinches, ducking behind the tree once again. "Oh, you don't have to be scared of me..."

The boy leans back out, blinking at him, and Jaewon beams, taking a step closer. "My name's Ahn Jaewon," he murmurs, extending a hand the way he would a stray cat in the village. "You're a very pretty faerie."

"'m a dryad," the boy mumbles, stepping back out from behind the tree. "Ah- but I can't talk to you. Minsoo-hyung said 'all humans want to kill us and steal our land', so I can't talk to you!"

"Eomma said 'all faeries want to eat us'," Jaewon replies, taking another step closer. "But you seem like a very nice faerie."

"'m a _dryad_ ," the boy repeats, lips pursing into a childish pout. "Not a _faerie_. Faeries are tricksters."

"What's your name?" Jaewon asks, and the boy takes a step towards him, hesitating at the tree-line. 

"...Daehyun."

"It's nice to meet you!" Jaewon beams, bounding forwards to offer a hand. "Do you want to be friends, Daehyun-ah?"

"...sure!"

"Jaewon!" his mother calls, and Jaewon grins, leaning forwards to clasp Daehyun's muddy hands in his own. 

"I'll be back, Daehyun-ah! Wait for me!"

* * *

Jaewon returns the next day, and they sit at the tree-line and talk. Daehyun's fascinated by the human world, and Jaewon, the magical one, so rare is it that they've both fallen silent. Jaewon leans that Daehyun's _"Minsoo-hyung"_ is the faerie prince, and _"Minsung-ssi"_ is the faerie king. In return, Daehyun learns that Jaewon lives alone with his mother, and that his only friends in the village are the stray cats that wander around, looking for scraps.

Even after Jaewon has to leave, he returns the next day, and the next, and the next. Summer turns to fall, and Daehyun starts missing some of their meetups, citing suspicion.

Jaewon has to miss some too, but for a different reason entirely.

Sickness crawls through his own home, more and more people falling ill with each passing day. Nearly half the village has fallen ill, and yet Jaewon continues to wait for Daehyun under their tree at the forest's edge in hopes that he'll be able to see him just once more.

Finally, on the first snowfall of the year, someone comes.

Jaewon's sitting under the tree, bundled in torn-up clothes and shivering, when the sound of footsteps crunching on snow breaks the silence.

"You're Ahn Jaewon?"

The voice is musical, light, and airy, and Jaewon has no doubt that _this_ is a faerie. 

"Y-Yes," he stammers, breaking off his words to cough. It rattles in his chest, and he shivers, reaching up to rub his running nose. "Do you... do you know Dae-yah?"

"Yes," the faerie replies, stepping forwards to hover in front of Jaewon. Silver hair shot through with moonlight floats around him, and brilliant opalescent eyes sparkle in the snowfall, gossamer wings spread out behind him. 

Daehyun is nothing like a faerie, Jaewon decides, but beautiful nonetheless.

"I see what it is that had Daehyun so enthralled," the faerie states, and Jaewon catches sight of a silver circlet of vines wound through the faerie's hair.

The crown of the faerie prince.

Minsoo.

"Faerie prince," Jaewon breathes, and Minsoo nods, lips pursed into a thin line.

"...you're ill."

"My village," Jaewon rasps, leaning back to rest his head against the tree bark. "Is Daehyun-ah... is Daehyun-ah okay?"

"He's fine," Minsoo simply states, and Jaewon smiles, blinking lethargically at him.

"Ah... I'm so happy..."

"...you're dying."

Minsoo seems vaguely concerned by this, somehow.

"Oh," Jaewon coughs, a hand coming up to cover his mouth. "Oh..."

Minsoo reaches out to press a hand to his forehead, and Jaewon smiles, weak and crooked.

"Daehyun-ah is okay," he murmurs, gaze sliding past Minsoo and to the blanket of snow on the ground. "I'm so... so happy..."

"You're a pure soul, Ahn Jaewon," Minsoo states, something flickering in his eyes. "You deserve better than to die here."

"It's okay," Jaewon gasps. "It's... it's okay..."

He's not cold anymore.

"I'm being visited... by the... by the faerie prince..." he whispers, watching as flecks of snow land in Minsoo's hair. "I'm so... so lucky..."

Minsoo presses a finger to his forehead, and Jaewon stares at him, vision going blurry around the edges. 

"What...?"

"I'm healing you," Minsoo simply states, and Jaewon stares at him, lips curling into a wispy smile.

"Ah... thank you..."

Within moments, the child goes limp, and Minsoo gathers him in his arms, heading for the village.

It's been a long time since he's been here, he recalls - over two hundred years. It's changed a lot since then - grown, albeit not by much, and all the people he once knew have long-since passed on.

Nobody notices him as he walks through the streets, and he shifts the child in his arms, letting instinct guide him to the right house. 

Finally, he locates it - a small cottage, occupied by an older woman with laugh lines and worry lines in equal measure on her face. He places the young boy in his bed, momentarily feeling a twinge of regret - both for Jaewon and Daehyun - before he leaves, confident in the fact that Jaewon's memories will fade before he wakes.

It's cruel, to be true, but faeries have never been the kindest creatures.

* * *

The first time Jaewon meets Daehyun, it's the start of spring.

Frost melts off the trees, his village just beginning to bloom. Jaewon himself has grown - from a small child of eight to a man of twenty-two - but the dreaminess and distractibility has never quite faded. 

It's this that's the bane of his stepfather's existence. 

His mother remarried after the plague that struck his village years ago - the one that left his only friend in the village, Jun, an outcast due to the scars coloring his skin - to the leader of the village, a strong man known for his money instead of his kindness. 

And _oh_ , was he unkind.

Jaewon's been called too feminine, too distractible, too childish, and _wrong_ for never wishing to marry. He's a daydreamer, a story-teller, someone to play with the village's children and pitch in wherever necessary, but too distractible to hold down a steady job and too gentle with his stories. His stepfather doesn't care that he doesn't want to marry, doesn't care that he doesn't want to settle into monotony - he demands it nonetheless. 

It's the start of spring, and after yet another lecture, Jaewon wanders off towards the forest, sitting near the tree-line and staring into its endless depths.

It's become his yearly tradition. Each year at the start of spring, he'll look into the depths of the forest, wondering about the faeries and creatures in its depths.

He gazes into the trees, and something gazes back.

A dryad - he's researched as best he can - with sweeping golden hair and a crown of branches and flowers stares back at him, clad in emerald gossamer and barefoot. There's something in his eyes - shock? Horror? Confusion? - that Jaewon can't quite name, but the dryad steps forwards, and Jaewon isn't afraid.

He should be, but somehow, he doesn't think the dryad is going to hurt him.

"Hello," he murmurs, and the dryad smiles - bright and sunny. "What's your name?"

"Daehyun," the dryad breathes, taking a seat at the tree-line. "And yours?"

"Jaewon," he replies, and the dryad - _Daehyun_ 's smile only widens. 

"It's nice to meet you again, Jaewon-ssi."

And somehow, Jaewon feels like that's true.

* * *

After that, Jaewon sneaks out to see Daehyun each and every night.

It's child's play - as long as he pretends to be looking for a wife in the village, he can climb out through his window and run to his and Daehyun's tree each night. 

And every night, without fail, Daehyun is waiting for him.

Talking to Daehyun is _easy_ in a way it's never been with anyone else. He can talk about his dreams, his stories, the village, and he'll never once feel like he's boring him. 

Daehyun's attentive like that.

In return, Daehyun tells him stories about the forest. He tells him stories about the faerie king and prince, stories about the grumpy naiad whose river his tree is on the bank of, and, more than anything else, he tells Jaewon about his tree.

It's a golden tree, he says - hence the golden hair - that droops over the river and spreads its roots over the ground. It's tall - Jaewon quips that that's the reason why Daehyun's so tall, and Daehyun laughs - and the youngest in the forest. 

And on May fifth - Jaewon's birthday - Daehyun takes him to see it.

The forest is like nothing Jaewon's ever seen, pixies and sprites flitting through the air as moss blankets the ground. Rivers wind through the forest, colored rocks glimmering at the bottom, and hundreds upon hundreds of trees fill the space, each one sporting its own dryad. One of them - a taller dryad with deep blue hair - waves to Daehyun as they pass, and Daehyun beams at him, waving in return. 

It's _stunning_ , Jaewon thinks, staring at the hundreds of natural lights that fill the space. Absolutely stunning.

Finally, they arrive at the bank of a river, and Daehyun pulls Jaewon forwards, gesturing to the tree in front of him.

It's absolutely stunning.

Deep brown bark, golden flowers and leaves, emerald vines curling around the trunk - it's _gorgeous_ , and Jaewon tells him as much.

Daehyun flushes to the tips of his ears, and he giggles, reaching up to cover his mouth. "It's nothing special," he grins, but Jaewon doesn't believe that for a second.

"Of course it's special. It's yours."

Daehyun giggles once more, reaching over to pull Jaewon into his side, and Jaewon's heart flutters.

Flutters.

Like he's in _love_.

And, well-

there are worse creatures to fall in love with, Jaewon thinks.

* * *

"You tell stories?"

Jaewon sits in Daehyun's arms, cradled by the roots of his tree and cushioned by the soft moss that blankets the ground. Daehyun holds his hair, deft fingers coaxing the too-long strands into a braid, and Jaewon hums, gazing at the bubbling river. 

"To the village children. I tell them about the sweet dryads and the lovely naiads and the trickster faeries."

"Don't tell Minsoo-hyung," Daehyun giggles, fingers brushing the back of Jaewon's neck. "He worked so hard to make people think faeries eat children..."

"He spread those rumors?"

"Does it seem like something Minsung-ssi would do?"

"No," Jaewon grins, gazing at the calm river. "I suppose not."

Daehyun hums, and Jaewon can feel his fingers coaxing knots out of his tangled hair. "You should take better care of your hair, Jaewon-ah."

"I should," Jaewon agrees, and Daehyun hums agreement.

He's not sure how long they stay there, Daehyun gently braiding Jaewon's hair while Jaewon takes in the majesty of the forest, but just like every night, Jaewon falls asleep in his arms.

And just like every night, Daehyun carries him out of the forest, the human's head resting on his arm and his legs hooked over his other one. 

The pixies laugh, the naiads coo, the rock spirits rumble... and yet, nobody moves to stop him.

Youngjoon even falls in step with him, his bulkier trunk an effective deterrent. Even if there's no violence, creatures can still be cruel.

Finally, as Daehyun reaches the tree-line, he places Jaewon on the grass, tapping the human's cheek in hope of rousing him. As usual, it takes only three taps to rouse him, and Jaewon blinks blearily, lips curling into a familiar smile. 

"Did I fall asleep again?"

"Yeah," Daehyun murmurs, and Jaewon reaches up to brush a lock of hair behind his ear. "You should sleep more."

"Hmm..."

Daehyun leans forwards, capturing Jaewon's lips in a kiss, and the human's smile widens once they pull apart.

"Every night?"

"A blessing for sweet dreams," Daehyun whispers, and Jaewon leans up to press a quick kiss to Daehyun's cheek.

"A blessing, just because."

* * *

"Yah, Ahn Jaewon."

Jaewon blinks, raising his head to stare at Jun. "Hm?"

Jun's sitting cross-legged on the wall, a cat head-butting his hand and another pawing at the scars that cover the back of it. "What're you so smiley for all the time, huh? Are you in love?"

"Yeah," Jaewon sighs, and Jun blinks, thrown.

"Really?"

"It's not like you with Taehyuk-ssi," he murmurs, reaching up as if to grasp the sun. "He's _special_."

"Taehyuk's special," Jun retorts, before his gaze turns worried. "Jaewon-ah, who is it?"

"...he's one of the Fair Folk."

"You're fucking with me."

"I'm not," Jaewon repeats, voice even. "He's a dryad."

"Jaewon-"

Jun sighs, reaching up to rake a hand through his hair. "You really couldn't just marry someone in the village?"

Jaewon stares at him, and Jun groans. "Fine, I see your point. But _really_ , Jaewon-ah? One of the _Fair Folk_. They _eat children_."

"Minsoo-ssi actually started that myth so people would stop trying to enter the forest-"

" _Oh my god, Jaewon-ah_."

Jun presses a hand to his eyes, a long, pained groan escaping his lips. "You've heard the tale of Kang Dongho, haven't you?"

"..."

"Dongho, who challenged the faerie prince three times? Once for food, once for medicine, and once for love?"

"..."

"He _died_ , Jaewon-ah. The faerie prince killed him."

"Daehyun-ah isn't like that, Jun-ah."

"If you say so."

Jaewon sighs, gazing at the clouds floating by. "...I really like him, Jun-ah."

"I know," Jun murmurs, staring down at his hands. "That's what worries me."

* * *

"Daehyun-ah?"

"Hyung!"

Daehyun perks up, gaze flitting towards a rock in the center of the river. A naiad sits on top of it, gossamer robes flowing over him and into the water, and his dark hair floats freely around his face, the ends dripping with water.

"Dongho-hyung!"

Daehyun beams, moving to dangle his feet in the stream. "Where have you been?"

"You're not the only part of this river that's important to me, Daehyun-ah."

"Oh, of course," Daehyun teases. "You and _Minsoo-hyung_ -"

"Yah. Anyways, why have I been seeing a human around here?"

"Ehe..."

Dongho glares at him, irritation flashing in his eyes. "You're in love with him."

" _What_?" Daehyun shrieks, hands flailing wildly as though he can disprove Dongho's statement with gestures alone. "I'm not- I'm not _in love_ with him! I just- I just braid his hair, and like talking to him, and miss him a lot, and kiss him goodnight-"

"And you're not in love with him."

"...fuck."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

Daehyun groans, head falling into his hands. "What if he doesn't love _me_ , hyung?"

"Based on the fact that you kiss each other good night, I think he loves you."

"But how do you _know_?"

Daehyun throws his head back, gazing at the flowers sprouting from his tree's branches. Brilliant gold - they'd look great in Jaewon's hair. Maybe he could make a flower crown?

"...fuck, I really love him."

"Yeah, you do."

* * *

"Dae-yah?"

Daehyun blinks, gaze flitting first to the sky - the stars are already out - and then back to Jaewon.

Jaewon, who entered the forest on his own.

"What- what were you _thinking_ , Jae-yah?"

Daehyun leaps forwards, pulling Jaewon into a crushing hug before letting him go, gaze landing on the small pot in his hands. "What... what is this?"

"It's a seed from my favorite tree," Jaewon smiles, and Daehyun stares at him, stunned. "I thought it would be nice for you to have something of mine."

Daehyun stares at it once more - at the ceramic pot, then at Jaewon - and takes it from his hands, fingers brushing over the rough surface. "Jae-yah..."

"I mean, you don't have to plant it if you don't want to, or if you _can't_ , I just-"

Daehyun cuts him off with a kiss.

"I _love it_ ," he whispers, and it's true.

He can already feel the stirrings of life in the seed, and he can't wait to imbue it with a bit of the forest's magic.

"Here- help me dig it a hole next to the river."

As the two of them work, Daehyun's acutely aware of other creatures coming to watch - rock spirits, pixies, naiads, and dryads. Even Dongho and Minsoo take note, the pair curled up on Dongho's rock while they watch the unlikely pair - a human and a dryad - plant their tree.

"What kind of tree is it?" Daehyun asks, and Jaewon smiles - soft, gentle, loving, and _oh_ , how could Daehyun have missed this?

"It's a sakura tree."

He pushes the last bit of dirt over the seed, and turns to Daehyun, _love_ sparkling in his eyes. "I hope it grows tall," he murmurs, and Daehyun stares at him, stunned. "Tall enough to stay with your tree forever."

And then and there, Daehyun kisses him.

Jaewon's eyes widen at this - a kiss not for sweet dreams or blessing, but for _love_ \- and he reciprocates, letting Daehyun's hand card through his pitch-black hair.

"I love you," Daehyun whispers, and he _knows_ they have an audience, _knows_ people are seeing this, and he _does not care_. "I love you, Jaewon-ah."

Jaewon smiles - a little small, but brimming with love nonetheless - and presses a kiss to Daehyun's nose, smile widening as he pulls back. 

"I love you too, Dae-yah."

* * *

Jaewon all but skips home, skin buzzing with the memory of Daehyun's touch and heart singing as he replays his words.

_"I love you."_

So caught up is he in his own ecstasy that he nearly misses the mob assembled in the town square.

Nearly.

"Men!" his stepfather roars, raising a sword high in the sky. "Too long have the Fair Folk been a threat at our borders!"

No.

_"Yeah!"_

"Too long have they bewitched our children!"

_No._

_"Yeah!"_

"Today, we strike back!"

"No!"

_"Yeah!"_

Jaewon stumbles back, a hand pressed to his mouth as the mob starts to march towards the forest.

He has to tell them.

With any luck, Daehyun hasn't left yet. God, let him still be there.

Please.

* * *

Daehyun gazes at the distant village, lips upturned in a goofy grin.

Jaewon _loves him back_.

It's almost unbelievable. Jaewon - Ahn Jaewon - liking him back?

It feels as though he's floating on cloud nine. This is better than even the day his tree grew its first leaf!

"Dae-yah!"

Daehyun blinks, head whipping around before eventually landing on Jaewon.

 _Jaewon's back!_ his heart sings, but his brain knows something's wrong.

Jaewon looks - terrified, honestly. Both terrified and betrayed - and the only group of people Daehyun thinks could do that to him are the people in the village.

"What-"

"They're coming to kill you," Jaewon gasps, and Daehyun blinks, thrown. "They want to burn down the forest, Dae-"

"Can't we reason with them?"

Jaewon shakes his head, and Daehyun nods, gaze flitting towards the trees. He chirps a few times - and Jaewon looks absolutely floored by that - before turning back to Jaewon, a gentle smile on his lips.

"I sent a message to Minsung-ssi for assistance. He'll come, Jae-yah."

"You can _chirp_?" Jaewon gasps, eyes wide with awe. "That's so _cool_! What are birds like to talk to?"

"Not great conversationalists," Daehyun quips, pressing a kiss to Jaewon's temple. "Not like you."

"There's one!"

Daehyun shoves Jaewon behind him, staring at the villagers with wide eyes. They're the first humans he's seen besides Jaewon, and-

they look like monsters. 

Cast in nothing but torchlight, they look eyeless, their mouths gaping holes of darkness. They carry nothing but torches and weapons, and Daehyun squeezes Jaewon's hand, unable to reconcile the human he loves with these monsters.

But they're not the same.

Jaewon is sweet, kind, and these people...

they're _monsters_.

"He's taken my son!" someone shouts, and Jaewon's eyes widen, pushing around Daehyun as if to reach the woman in the crowd. 

"Eomma-"

Daehyun sees it happen in slow motion.

One of the men at the back of the hoard raises their bow, aiming at Daehyun's chest. 

Jaewon steps in front of him, eyes wide and pleading as he begs for the villagers to understand-

and the bow fires.

Jaewon crumples, hand pressed to the arrow in his heart, and Daehyun _screams_.

As if on cue, Minsung roars, riding on the back of a pegasus, and the army charges forwards, Daehyun and Jaewon left forgotten in the battle's midst.

"Jaewon," Daehyun gasps, pressing his hand to the arrow in the human's chest. "Jaewon-ah-"

"You're okay," Jaewon breathes, tears spilling down his cheeks. "Ah... I'm so happy..."

"You're dying!"

"Oh..."

Jaewon laughs, harsh and wet, though it soon devolves into a cough. "Daehyun-ah is okay," he murmurs, mostly to himself. "I'm so happy."

"No," Daehyun begs, the words coming out harsh and ragged and _desperate_. "No, no, Jaewon-ah, you can't go to sleep, okay? Minsoo- Minsoo can heal you, okay? Just- just stay awake for a little longer."

"It's okay," Jaewon whispers, reaching up to brush tears off Daehyun's cheeks. "It's... it's okay. You'll... you'll be okay, Daehyun-ah."

"How can I be okay without you?" Daehyun sobs, gripping Jaewon's hand for dear life. "How can you expect me to be okay without you?"

Jaewon doesn't answer, instead opting to lean in for a kiss.

There's a single perfect moment where they hold the pose, Jaewon's hand on Daehyun's cheek and Daehyun's arm around Jaewon's back. 

It feels as though it might last for eternity - just the two of them alone in the world. Just Jaewon and Daehyun, no matter the rest of the world. 

And then Jaewon goes limp.

His arm falls to his side, head lolling in Daehyun's arms, and Daehyun's eyes widen in horror. 

"Jaewon?"

There's no response.

"J-Jae-yah?"

Daehyun reaches up to brush a lock of tanged hair out of Jaewon's face, hand resting on his cheek. "Jaewon-ah, wake... wake up."

He doesn't stir. 

"Jaewon-ah," Daehyun repeats, a little desperate this time, "wake- wake _up_ , Jaewon-ah. _Please_."

Jaewon doesn't move.

Daehyun _wails_ , pressing Jaewon to his chest as hard as he can as if that'll make him wake up. "Jae- Jae- _please wake up_. I- I love you-"

Jaewon doesn't move.

* * *

Over the years, a tree grows in the forest. 

It's watered by tears, the pixies say. It's watered by the tears of a dryad, who buried the human he loved at the foot of the tree.

And the tree grows, twining around the dryad's own as if to give the tree all the comfort the human no longer can. It grows brilliant scarlet flowers, red mingling with gold, and yet the dryad continues to water it with his tears, each day passed in grief - for when near-immortals love, they don't move on quickly.

Occasionally, the faerie prince comes to visit - placing a blessing over the tree and easing the grieving dryad into a temporary sleep. He would love to stay and help, but the forest is large, with each tree a dryad, and he doesn't have the time it would take. 

The dryad waters it with his tears for eighteen long years, each day expressing his love and pressing a kiss to the bark, and over time, it pays off. 

Never consider anything impossible in the realm of magic.

On May fifth, eighteen years after Jaewon's death, Daehyun opens his eyes to the knowledge that something's changed.

He fell asleep curled up in the roots, the air as dark and dismal as it always was, but as he opens his eyes, he knows something's different.

The air _sings_ , ecstasy filling it, and Daehyun stands on shaking legs, making his way around the tree to where Jaewon was buried.

And there-

A new dryad lies on the ground, crimson hair covering his eyes and limbs sprawled over the ground.

And Daehyun-

Daehyun knows that face. 

"Jaewon?"

He doesn't stir.

Daehyun bends down, poking his cheek three times, and just like he always did, Jaewon stirs, gaze unfocused for a second before zeroing in on Daehyun.

"Hey," he mumbles, voice low and rough. "I said it'd be okay, didn't I?"

He's cut off by Daehyun yanking him into a hug.

* * *

Weddings aren't particularly common in the forest, which means this is a momentous occasion.

Daehyun wasn't alive for the last wedding - that of Dongho and Minsoo, which was, reportedly, a much different affair - but he thinks this might just be the best day of his life. 

Jaewon stands on the other side of the clearing, some of Daehyun's golden flowers in his hair and a delighted smile on his lips. He clutches a bouquet to his chest, a ribbon wrapped around his wrist, and _god_ , Daehyun thinks, he's _stunning_.

Daehyun himself has some of Jaewon's flower petals wreathed in his hair - the style done by a number of naiads - but he doesn't look even _close_ to as radiant as Jaewon.

Then again, he's probably a little biased.

"So, I don't know how I got picked to be the pastor," Dongho states, voice flat, "but here I am. Somehow. Alright, you two, step up on the roots."

Daehyun steps up on the roots of Jaewon's tree, giving the redhead a bright grin. Jaewon gives him a softer one in return, and Daehyun blows him a kiss, making the redhead giggle.

"Okay, okay, stop flirting. Now - Jaewon-ah. Do you promise to love and respect Daehyun-ah for the rest of time?"

"I do."

"Daehyun-ah, do you promise to love and respect Jaewon-ah for the rest of time?"

"I do."

"Then by the power vested in me by Minsung-ah, who was too damn lazy to do this himself, I pronounce you husband and husband. You may now kiss the dryad."

It's about time, Daehyun thinks.

He sweeps Jaewon into his arms, pressing their lips together as the other creatures present applaud. As soon as they separate, Jaewon grins at him, messy bangs all but eclipsing his eyes, and _oh_ , Daehyun's so hopelessly in love.

"I love you," he whispers, and this time, Jaewon says it back.

**Author's Note:**

> me at the start of this: DONGMIN WILL NOT HIJACK THIS GODDAMN FIC  
> did they?  
> i can't tell anymore
> 
> also happy birthday to me!! :)
> 
> [twit](https://twitter.com/i_was_human_) | [lit fic discord!](https://discord.gg/CNunB74)


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